Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 (2013 Chapter 10).

This Act establishes a strategic system of marine planning in Northern Ireland s inshore region (as defined), provides in part for a modernised licensing and enforcement regime and promotes the United Kingdom s aim of establishing an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas , so that marine biodiversity is protected and international and European commitments are met. The Act, among other things: establishes a new system of marine planning to take into account marine environment protection and management matters and defines powers to establish marine protected areas to protect natural and cultural marine features.
The Department of the Environment may prepare a marine plan for all or part of the Northern Ireland inshore region. The Act sets out the procedure by which the Department must prepare, consult on, and publish a marine plan. Designation by the Department of areas as marine conservation zones (MCZ's) shall be done with the agreement of the Secretary of State and for certain circumstances (e.g. conserving species of marine flora and fauna). In considering whether it is desirable to designate an area as an MCZ, the Department must have regard to any economic, cultural or social consequences of designating that area and to, among other things, fishing in, or taking animals or plants from, the sea. The Department shall create a network of marine protected areas including European protected sites and Ramsar sites. Marine licensing concerns authorizations by the Department of the Environment relating to offshore generating stations. The Act also defines the offence of damaging, etc. protected features of a MCZ.